Liquid binder



Patented Feb. 5, 1952 LIQUID BINDER Charles Donald Simmers, Hopatcong, N. J., as-

signor to Johns-Manville Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York No Drawing. Application December 9, .1948, Serial No. 64,439

2 Claims. (01. 106123) This invention relates to hardenable liquid binders, and is particularly concerned with an improved binder composition which is adapted for rapid high temperature heat and oxidation cure to provide comparatively thin, strong and resilient binder films for mineral wool batts and other products.

U. S. Patent No. 2,282,230 of William M. MacAlpine, dated May 5, 1942, describes a mineral wool product and method of manufacture, in which a drying oil forms the principal hardenable binder for the product.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved binder composition having properties particularly adapting it for use in the manufacture of products of the type, and in accordance with the method, described in the aforementioned MacAlpine patent.

Another object is to provide an improved liquid binder which is curable by heat and oxidation to form comparatively tough, hard, flexible and waterproof films.

Incorporation of the present binder in mineral wool products imparts thereto, after heat cure, properties of strength and resilience which are at least equivalent to, and usually better than, similar products embodying like amounts of a conventional drying oil as the principal binder.

With the above objects in view the invention consists in the improved liquid binder which is hereinafter described and more particularly defined in the accompanying claims.

The principal ingredients of the improved binder which forms the subject of the present invention are mixed alkane polyol esters of commercial tall oil carboxylic acids. Tall oil is a residual by-product of the manufacture of kraft paper from pine and similar resinous woods by the sulphate process. The composition of tall oil is generally regarded as comprising approximately equal proportions by weight of unsaturated fatty acids and rosin acids, together with small amounts of unsaponifiable and unreactive material. The fatty acid fraction of tall oil usually makes up 45-55% thereof and comprises chiefly acids having 18 carbon atoms in the molecule. The rosin fraction of tall oil generally comprises 40-45% thereof and has as its principal ingredient (60-90%) abietic acid. The unreactive portion of tall oil usually ranges between 5 and thereof and consists of a mixture of alcohols and other unsaponifiable material.

Within the limits hereinafter discussed the composition of the present binders may be varied considerably, depending upon the relative degrees of hardness and flexibility of cured binder films which are desired in the finished product. One

satisfactory binder formula consists of the poly- 5 hydric alcohol esters of tall oil fatty and rosin acids in the proportions resulting from esterifying crude tall oil, together with A to 1% of a conventional drier.

As another example of a binder formula which A special soft binder embodying a substantial proportion of asphalt as a plasticizer, had the following composition:

, Per cent by weight Pentaerithritol esters of tall oil 32.5 r Linseed oil 32.5 f Asphalt (150 F. melting point) Manganese'naphthenate 0.6 In terms of chemical composition, suitable binder compositions comprise: 40 Per cent by weight Polyhydric alcohol esters of unsaturated fatty acids containing 18 carbon atoms in the molecule -60 45 Polyhydric alcohol, esters of abietic acid"- 3-5-45 Unsaponifiable material 5-10 Drier'. 0.6

The optimum weight ratio of fatty acid esters 5 to abietic esters in the binder is approximately Suitable esterifying alcohols for the tall oil fatty and rosin acids include pentaerithritol, mannitol, ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, and propylene glycol. The various ester mixtures above mentioned are all vistioned MacAlpine patent.

cous liquids or semi-liquids at ordinary tempera tures, and become quite fluid when heated. The use of such mixed ester binders is advantageous for application and curing at high temperatures. as during the manufacture of mineral wool batts by a method such as hereinafter described.

Drying oils which may b substituted for linseed oil in the above formulasinclude perilla, tung, oiticica, and even semi-drying oils such as castor or soybean oils which have been treated to impart adequate drying properties thereto. When a drying oil such as linseed oil is present in the binder formula, its primary function is to increase the proportion of drying oil type esters in the binder formula, and to thereby modify the toughness and flexibility and drying properties of the binder films. Plasticizers'suc'has asphalt or equivalent mineral oil fractions are sometimes desirable for softening the films.

Suitable driers which: are employed 'in small amount in the binder, "may be naphthenates or resinates of such ,metals as lead, manganese, cobalt or iron. Combinations of the various driers may be used for enhancing the drying or curing of the film.

One advantageous method of using the pres ent binder is as a substitute for the drying oil binder in the mineral Wool product 1nanufacturing method which is described in the aforemen- The binder is ipcrated in situ Within a mineralwool felt during the manufacture of the felt by the following procedures: A molten silicate solution of suitable composition for mineral wool manufacture is shredded by allowing athin stream thereof to contact a transverseiy directed steam blast. A measured amount of the present tall oil or modified tall oil binder is introduced into the steam blast just prior to its contactwith the molten silicate stream. In this manner there is produced an air suspension of hot mineral wool fibers, with each fiber having a very light binder coating. The binder coated fibers are then collected in a felted layer or batt form on a suitable felting member. thickness of several inches.

Poapid heat and oxidation cure of the binder films on the fiber surfaces takes place by reasc of relatively high temperatures (480-800" F.) and the use of transverse air blasts. be controlled by passing air at suitable temperature transversely through the felt in volume adjusted to control the heat for the curing of the binder. The optimum. temperature for binder cure usually lies Within the range 490-699 F2, sufiicient air is passed through the felt to insure rapid and uniform drying and hardening of the binder while holding the temperature within the range at which the binder cures Without serious loss of strength, toughness or fiexioility.

In the various binder formulae hereinbefore presented, the properties of resilience or flexibility and rapid drying characteristics are imparted chiefly by the fatty acid esters, Whereas the abietic esters tend to develop harder and more durable binder films. When producing mineral W001 batts of relatively.rigid-construction the relative proportion of abietio ester may exceed that of the fatty acid ester in the binder composition. When soft or flexible mineral wool The fiber layer or felt may have a This may felts are desired, the fatty acid ester component of the binder should be in greater amount as compared to the abietic ester. Binders containing large proportions of abietic ester may be plasticized by incorporating a plasticizing agent of the type of asphalt of approximately 159-250 F. melting point.

In general the amount of binder employed in a given product depends on the properties desired in the product. For example, a comparatively dense product and one which is substantially waterproof and rigid may be produced by incorporating binder in amounts representing 15 to 20% by Weight of the product. On the other hand for producing heat insulating products of low density such as mineral wool batts, the amount of binder does not have to exceed 1% to 5% by weight of the finished batt. Mineral wool batts containing such small proportions of binder are resilient and substantially fireproof and have sufficient cohesive strength so that they are readily handleable in batts of comparatively large volume.

The invention which has been thus described by detailed example is not limited as to such details and it is to be understood that variations, changes and modifications are contemplated Within the scope of the invention as defined by the follo ing claims.

What I claim is:

1. A liquid bind-er which is curable by heat and oxidation consisting essentially of alkane polyol esters of tall oil carboxylic acids, modified by added drying oil and a higher melting oint asphalt, and 0.5.1% of a drier.

2. A liquid binder which is hardenable by heat oxidation, consisting essentially of a mixture of about 32% by Weight of alkane polyol esters of tall oil carboxylic acids, approximately 32% linseed oil, approximately 35% asphalt of about 159 melting point, and 0.51%'of a drier.

CHARLES DONALD SINEMERS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,175,491 Stressen-Reuter et a1 Oct. 19, 1939 2,270,947 Hough Jan. 27, 1942 2,420,694 Barthel May 20, 1947 2,421,842 Martin June 10, 1947 2,460,787 Seedorf Feb. 1. 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 351,945 Great Britain June 16, 1931 563,547 Germany Nov. 7, 1932 OTHER REFERENCES Varnish Constituents, Chatfield, 1944, p. 332. (Copy in Div; 64.)

Farben-Zeitung, 4.1, 1186 (1936). (Copy PO Lib.)

Farben-Zeitung 42, 1091 (1937). (Copy in P0 Lib.)

Glasser: Fed. Paint and Varnish Production Clubs, pp. 845-853, Nov. 1948. (Copy in P0.)

Wacholtz: Paint, Oil, and Chem. Rev, Apr. 28, 1949, pp. 13, 36, and 37. (Copy in P0 Lib.) 

1. A LIQUID BINDER WHICH IS CURABLE BY HEAT AND OXIDATION CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF ALKANE POLYOL STERS OF TALL OIL CARBOXYLIC ACIDS, MODIFIED BY ADDED DRYING OIL AND A HIGHER MELTING POINT ASPHALT, AND 0.5-1% OF A DRIER. 